Home > Relish Austin > Archives > Openings/Closings category
Openings/Closings
May 14, 2012
Openings/Closings: Salty Sow opens on Manor Road; Dan Haverty moves to Bistrot Mirabelle
• Open: Salty Sow, 1917 Manor Road, the newest restaurant from Larry Foles and Guy Villavaso, who have used their restaurant expertise to build Z’Tejas, Roaring Fork, Eddie V’s and Hopdoddy Burger Bar. Chefs Harold Marmulstein and Richard Velazquez are in charge of the kitchen at pig-centric, nose-to-tail gastropub in the former home of Red House Pizzeria.
• Open: Lupe Tortilla, the first Austin location of the Houston-based Tex-Mex chain at Arbor Walk, 10515 N. Mopac (Loop 1). The second location is scheduled to open at 701 S. Loop 360 (Capital of Texas Highway) in West Lake Hills this summer. 582-2201.
• Open: Gloria’s Cafe, a restaurant at 1201 N. Lakeline Blvd. in Cedar Park serving both Tex-Mex and American dishes, including breakfast. 259-1144.
• Opening Wednesday: Blue Baker. For more than a decade, the owners of this artisan bakery cafe have serving pastries, soups, salads, sandwiches and pizzas made with from-scratch doughs at two College Station locations, and this week, they opened their first Austin location in the Arboretum, 10000 Research Blvd. In addition to lunch items and freshly baked goods, they also offer breakfast sandwiches until 10:30 a.m. 346-2583.
• Opening Thursday: Pelons, 508 and Zorro. A trio of businesses (restaurant, cocktail bar and food truck, in that order) from Bikinis owner Doug Guller in the former Jaime’s Spanish Village complex, 802 Red River St. 243-7087.
• Opening May 21: LongHorn Steakhouse, the fourth area location of the national steakhouse chain at 4809 U.S. 290 West in Sunset Valley. 899-2933.
• Chef change: Chef Dan Haverty, who spent 15 years at Shoreline Grill, is now the executive chef at Bistrot Mirabelle, 8127 Mesa Drive.
• Revamped menu: Specialty cake company Sentelli’s Bakery has been selling sweets for a number of years at its store at 814 W. 12th, but co-owner Mike Sentell, who spent more than a decade at the Four Seasons, has added both whole pizzas and pizzas by the slice, as well as wraps and breakfast pastries. 236-1720.
Photo from Blue Baker’s Facebook page.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment Categories: Openings/Closings
May 4, 2012
Openings/Closings: El Naranjo, Counter Culture go brick-and-mortar; innovative 4.0 Cellars opens near Fredericksburg
• Open: El Naranjo. When Oaxacan chef Iliana de la Vega and her husband Ernesto Torrealba opened El Naranjo trailer two years ago, they knew that eventually they’d open a full-fledged restaurant in the house on the property at 85 Rainey St., tucked in the Rainey Street neighborhood downtown. Austinites got a taste of her tacos, empanadas, moles, guacamole and molotes and knew why it was such a big deal that the Latin American Cuisines specialist at the Culinary Institute of America in San Antonio had decided to plant her restaurant in Austin, not in the Alamo City. After much renovation on the building, De la Vega and Torrealba have opened El Naranjo, which means “the orange tree,” for dinner and late-night drinks and botanas, or snacks. 474-2776.
• Open: 4.0 Cellars, a tasting room/winery project at 10354 E. U.S. 290 between Stonewall and Fredericksburg that is a collaboration between three Texas wineries, Brennan Vineyards, Lost Oak Winery and McPherson Cellars, which are all far from the U.S. 290 wine trail, one of the busiest in the state. In addition to selling and offering their wines for sampling, the winemakers are collaborating on several wines, including a sherry, that will be sold under the 4.0 Cellars label. (830) 997-7470.
• Open: Phatso’s Cheesesteaks, a food trailer at 1209 S. First St. from Pennsylvania native Walter Underwood who is serving Philly cheesesteaks on bread from the famed Amoroso’s Bakery in Philadelphia. 709-4915.
• Open: Rita’s Ice Custard, the newest location of the dessert franchise at 6001 W. Parmer Lane. 996-8436.
• Open: Cow Bells, a food trailer at 1620 E. Riverside Drive selling breakfast and lunch, including burgers, sweet potato fries, tater tots, mini corn dogs, homemade cherry lemonade and raspberry iced tea. 576-8855.
• Open: Counter Culture, the brick-and-mortar location of the vegan food trailer at 2337 E. Cesar Chavez St. 524-1540.
• Open: Black Lodge Coffee, a coffee-and-donut stand at 701 Tillery St., serving coffee from Ritual Roasters in San Francisco.
• Opening Monday: How Do You Roll?, the fifth Austin location of the build-your-own sushi roll restaurant at 11521 FM 620, in the Plaza Volente shopping center. The restaurant plans to have a grand opening celebration on Saturday, May 12. Since Austinites Yuen and Peter Yung founded the fast-casual franchise in 2008, the company now has 11 franchises in four states.
• Open: Qdoba, the third Central Texas location of the Mexican restaurant chain at 1445 E. Whitestone Blvd., in Cedar Park. 528-5576.
• Name change: Izzoz Tacos becomes Mellizoz Tacos. After a trademark infringement dispute with a restaurant franchise that operates nine Izzo’s Illegal Burrito restaurants in Louisiana and Alabama, Izzoz Tacos has changed its name to Mellizoz Tacos.
• Closed, for now: Gumbo’s of Round Rock, 901 Round Rock Avenue. “Due to a long standing dispute with the landlord coupled with the costs of maintaining an historical building, we have made the decision to re-locate,” owners Denise and Shuler Page posted on the website. “We will re-open at a new location to be announced at a later date.”
Photos from How Do You Roll? and El Naranjo.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment Categories: Openings/Closings
April 26, 2012
Openings/Closings: Hopdoddy on Anderson, Westside Alehouse in Round Rock open
Open: Hopdoddy Burger Bar, the second location of the popular South Congress burger restaurant at 2438 Anderson Lane, which features hormone/antibiotic-free beef that is ground daily in-house, plus from-scratch buns and hand-cut fries. 467-2337.
Open: Westside Alehouse, a pub and beer garden at 1500 N. Interstate 35 in Round Rock serving burgers, chicken wings and sandwiches. 238-8438.
Open: The Harvest Room at Royal Fig, a private dining and supper club space at 4238 Bee Cave Road from the team that runs Royal Fig catering company and The Seedling Truck food trailer. Chef Dan Stacy’s first supper club in the space is slated for 6 p.m. Sunday. The five-course dinner, which is BYOB and costs $65 a person, will feature cheeses from Antonelli’s Cheese Shop. You can also rent out the space for private events. 739-3233.
Open: Paisano’s Trattoria & Pizzeria, a restaurant at 11301 Lakeline Blvd. serving pizzas, pastas and salads from the owners of Paisano’s at 1211 Leander Road in Georgetown. 506-8030.
Open: Longhorn Balls, a chocolate and candy shop at the Oasis retail complex at 6550 Comanche Trail selling chocolate-covered pecans and other treats. 394-5428.
Open: Lakeview Winery, a wine shop and tasting room at the Oasis, 6550 Comanche Trail, featuring a number of Texas wines, including those from owners Kenny and Gail Fowler’s vineyards. They’ll have a grand opening party from noon to 9 p.m. May 5 with live music, snacks and discounted bottles of wine. 291-2801.
Open: Burger University, a burger restaurant at 119 W. Seventh Street in downtown Georgetown. 863-0100.
Open: Two locations of Two Saints Baking Co. & Café, an eatery operated by two area couples, Aaron and Amy Santos and David and Heather Tworoger. The first location, 106 W. Willis St. in Leander, opened in January, and the second location, 13011 Shops Parkway in Bee Cave, opened this month. 260-5700.
Opening Monday: Corner Bakery Cafe, the first Austin location of the national restaurant chain, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, at 9761 Great Hills Trail in the Arboretum. 777-4250.
Photos from Hopdoddy and Westside Alehouse Facebook pages, and by Sasha Haagensen for the Royal Fig.
Permalink | | Categories: Openings/Closings
April 16, 2012
Mercury Pizza temporarily closed for renovations
Moffitt, who worked as chef de cuisine at 34th Street Cafe in 2008 and 2009, oversees the menu and management of the small house that is putting out some of Austin’s best (and biggest) pies. Mercury, which also serves hot submarine sandwiches and calzones, closed shortly after Easter. Moffitt hopes to have the place re-opened by late May. Once updates are complete, Mercury Pizza will be open from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Wednesday and 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. Thursday through Saturday.
In addition to his role at Mercury, Moffitt owns Blake’s on 6th, a sandwich and salad spot that also serves breakfast, located at 1221 W. 6th St., and produces cheese and caters under the moniker Artisanal Elevated Good.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Openings/Closings
April 13, 2012
Openings/Closings: Jeffrey's changes hands, Swift's Attic and Fresa's to open Monday
• Closing, for remodeling and management change: Jeffrey’s, the venerable Clarksville restaurant, is closing after service on Saturday for a few months while Larry McGuire’s team renovates the inside and he nails down a new menu. The restaurant, which first opened in 1975, has long been considered one of Austin’s nicest places to eat. The restaurant is hosting a reunion for former employees on Sunday. 477-5584.
• Opening Monday: Swift’s Attic, the much-anticipated restaurant at 315 Congress from the powerhouse team of Mat Clouser (M2, Rabbit + Hat supper club), Zack Northcutt (Mulberry, Haddington’s) and pastry chef Callie Speer (Parkside) is opening on Monday, but all this week, they’ve been hosting a soft opening featuring small plates of some of their dishes. 482-8200.
• Opening Monday: Fresa’s Chicken al Carbon, the newest venture from Larry McGuire’s restaurant group at 915 N. Lamar Blvd., the former home of Emerald City Press, is a drive-through restaurant that sells to-go dinners based around locally raised chickens from Peeler Farms that have been marinated in achiote and citrus juice. With the chicken, you can get tortas, tortillas, salads, side dishes, beer, wine and ice cream. 428-5077.
• Opening Saturday: Schlotzsky’s, 8300 FM 620 North at Four Points. They’ll be celebrating with grand opening events Saturday and Sunday. 258-3500.
• Opening Monday: Blenders and Bowls, a cafe inside Wanderlust Live yoga studio at 206 E. 4th St. serving juice and acai bowls. 805-453-4524.
• Open: Mel’s Meals, the ready-to-go meal delivery and pick-up company opened its third location at 1208 N. IH 35 in Round Rock. They’ll be hosting a grand opening celebration from 4 to 6 p.m. on April 25 with live music and cocktails. 512-383-5194.
• Reopen: The Belmont. After closing suddenly last year, new owners took over the location at 305 W. Sixth St. and reopened it just before South By Southwest. The renovated space is now a music venue and bar, and though the owners plan to add some food eventually, it will not be the focus.
Photos from Jeffrey’s website and Swift’s Attic blog.
Permalink | | Categories: Openings/Closings
April 3, 2012
Openings/Closings: Long-awaited Henri's, Workhorse Bar finally open
• Open: Workhorse Bar, a pub at 100 E. North Loop Blvd., featuring about 50 beers on tap, as well as wine, spirits and food. 779-6806.
• Open: White Rabbit Coffeehouse and Cafe at 11215 S. Interstate 35, on the northeast corner of the interstate and Onion Creek Parkway, serving baked goods and Texas Coffee Traders coffee for breakfast and sandwiches and salads for lunch. 394-7327.
• Open: ChocoSutra, a food trailer at 415 Jessie St. specializing in all things chocolate, from brownies and bonbons to drinking chocolates and even guacamole with cacao. 902-4546.
• Open: Bundu Khan Kabob ‘N’ Grille Restaurant, a halal restaurant at 6705 U.S. 290 W. whose buffet and regular menu combines a number of cuisines, including Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Greek. 999-4492.
Permalink | | Categories: Openings/Closings
March 27, 2012
Openings/Closings: Cenote, Cover 2, Tamale House East open; trailers at East Side Drive-In forced to move
• Open: Progress Coffee has opened an outlet in TreeHouse, a home improvement store at 4477 S. Lamar Blvd..
• Open: 400 Rabbits, a restaurant and tequila bar inside the Alamo Slaughter Lane, 5701 W. Slaughter Lane. 861-7069.
• Open: Urban Wine + Liquor, a wine, beer and liquor store in the first floor of the Austonian that is the latest venture from Austinite Buckley Wineholt, formerly of Wines.com and Central Market Westgate. The store at 200 Congress Ave. features delivery to some condos and areas downtown and a number of locally made food products.
• Open: Cover 2, a restaurant at 13701 Research Blvd. from the owners of Cover 3. Like the restaurant on Anderson Lane, Cover 2 offers higher-quality cuisine than you’d find in most sports bars plus plenty of TVs, beers and cocktails to get you through the game. 506-9935.
• Open: Cenote, a coffee shop at 1010 E. Cesar Chavez St. from Austinites Cody Symington and Mary Jenkins. In addition to coffee-based drinks using beans from local roasters Cuvee and Third Coast, Cenote will also sell Rockstar Bagels, sandwiches, salads and other goods from local food companies. The building, which was taken over briefly during South by Southwest to become the Spotify house, was built in 1887 and, according to Cenote owners, appears on Austin’s very first hand-drawn map just a few years later. Last year, they received the Heritage Society of Austin’s “Merit Award for Adaptive Use.” 524-1311.
• Open: Randalls, 5145 N. FM 629 in Steiner Ranch, is the newest Central Texas outlet of the grocery store chain. The store opened Wednesday and is the 14th store in the Austin area.
• Open: Bruegger’s Bakery-Cafe, 3267 Bee Cave Road, a locally owned outlet of the national bakery chain known for its New York-style bagels. This is the first of several Bruegger’s locations that owners Karlene and Roger Cusick, who recently moved to Austin from New York, hope to open in the area. 394-7174.
• Open: Tamale House East, 1707 E. Sixth St., the newest restaurant from the family that runs several other Tamale House restaurants in the area. 495-9504.
• Open: Bar Louie, the first Austin location of the national restaurant and bar chain at 123 W. Sixth St.
• Opening April 4: Spin Modern Thai Cuisine, a fusion restaurant at 14005 U.S. 183 North that serves Thai dishes with Japanese and French influences, 258-1365.
• Closed: East Side Drive In Food Trailer Park, the lot at 1001 E. Sixth St, that was home to a number of trailers, including The Vegan Yacht, Firefly Pies, Pig Vicious, Love Balls Bus and Bits And Druthers, that are now in the process of relocating.
• Closed: Kick Butt Coffee at the Triangle. The original Kick Butt Coffee, 5775 Airport Blvd., remains open.
• Closing April 7: Lux Bakery & Cafe, the bakery at 3601 West William Cannon Drive, will close next month.
Urban Wine and Liquor photo by Johanna Nuding, Cenote photo from Cody Symington and Mary Jenkins.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Eating out, Openings/Closings
March 26, 2012
Kick Butt Coffee's Triangle location closes
After three years in business, Kick Butt Coffee at the Triangle has closed its doors.
The original Kick Butt Coffee, 5775 Airport Blvd., remains open.
High rent and a lack of business contributed to the coffeehouse’s demise, according to owner Thomas Gohring.
The Triangle location never once had a profitable month, he said. In 2011 alone, according to Gohring, the coffeehouse lost $85,000.
“At a monthly loss of 8k - 12k since opening… there were many times I considered closing,” he wrote in an email to customers. “The first time was back at the end of 2009. I was shocked that we were not doing better and I took 100% of the blame and responsibility.”
Business grew, he said, but ultimately it wasn’t enough. With the average customer spending about $5, Gohring estimated Kick Butt needed 240 customers a day — 100 more than it had most days — to break even.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Openings/Closings
March 5, 2012
Openings/Closings: Hickory Street, Hillside Farmacy and Texas' first kava bar open ahead of SXSW
• Reopen: Hickory Street, the almost 30-year-old restaurant at 800 Congress Ave. that had closed in September is now reopen under new management. Owners Nate Howry, Mason Wheeless and Brendan Puthoff, who also owns Third Base and Barcelona, redesigned the space and hired Camden Stuerzenberger, formerly of Bess Bistro, to remake the menu, which now features lobster corn dogs, bison sliders, fried catfish tacos and gluten-free fried chicken. 477-8968.
• Open: Hillside Farmacy, a deli and market from East Side Show Room team of Sonya Coté and Mickie Spencer at 1209 E. 11th St. Located in the former Gene’s Po Boys location, which was actually the first African American pharmacy in Austin, Coté and Spencer have created a throwback eatery that is open from 7 a.m. to midnight seven days a week with a full bar, retro soda fountain and Stumptown coffee. In addition to full menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner, which don’t officially launch until March 12, customers can also buy take-away items at the deli, including pastries and house-made charcuterie. 628-0168.
• Open: Nomad Dosa, a trailer at 3421 N. I-H 35 serving rice bowls and dosas, a thin crepe made with sourdough rice-lentil batter and stuffed with savory fillings. All of the menu items are vegetarian and gluten- and soy-free. 474-1588.
• Open: Javelina Bar, a bar and restaurant at 69 Rainey Street, just across the street from the Mexican-American Cultural Center. The menu features bar staples including burgers, sandwiches and salads, and all the beers on draft come from Texas breweries.
• Open: Wok Around Austin, a new Chinese food trailer specializing in made-to-order stir-fry, dim sum and Asian chicken wings at 539 Brazos Street. 481-2708.
• Open: Lembas, a food trailer serving gluten-free baked goods and breakfast items at 6701 Burnet Road. 469-323-4936.
• Opening Friday: Midnight Cowboy, a new reservations-only cocktail lounge from the Alamo Drafthouse team at 313 East 6th Street, right next to the Drafthouse’s Ritz Theater. The former “modeling Oriental massage” parlor will take on a big city speakeasy tone with a drinks prepared table side and hand-cut ice. The rotating cocktail menu will be designed by Drafthouse beverage director Bill Norris.
• Closed: Estancia Churrascaria, the Brazilian steakhouse on U.S. 290 in South Austin. The Arboretum location will remain open.
Photo of Hillside Farmacy from the Facebook page.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: Openings/Closings, SXSW
February 27, 2012
Downtown Melting Pot location closes its doors
The downtown Austin Melting Pot location has closed its doors after four and a half years in business.
The restaurant, 305 E. Third St., wrapped up operations Sunday night after owner Mike Swartz accepted a buyout from the building’s landlord, who recently decided to sell the building.
The city’s other Melting Pot, 13343 N. U.S. 183 in Northwest Austin, is also owned by Swartz. It remains open and has offered jobs to the 28 employees who worked at the downtown location.
Permalink | | Categories: Openings/Closings
Openings/Closings: Chen Z Hot Pot & Noodle Bar opens today, Drink.Well to open Tuesday
• Opening today: Chen Z Hot Pot & Noodle Bar, 2700 W. Anderson Lane, the newest, slightly more upscale venture from the owners of Chen’s Noodle House that is open for both lunch and dinner. 336-8888.
• Open: Hemingway Restaurant & Bar, a restaurant at 500 Cypress Creek Road in Cedar Park serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Featured dishes include a portabella burger, coconut fried shrimp and a steak and Roquefort salad. 512-219-6400.
• Opening soon: Elaine’s Pork & Pie, a new restaurant from Eastside Cafe owner Elaine Martin, located in the building on the property at 2113 Manor Road that formerly housed the culinary store, Pitchforks and Tablespoons. Martin will put her spin on the “pork” and “pie” theme in various ways for breakfast, lunch and dinner, including sticky buns, pulled pork sandwiches with homemade pickles, fried pies, whole pies, hand-held pies, etc.
• Closing, for now: R.O.’s Outpost, 22112 Texas 71 West in Spicewood, is closing on March 9, but owners Randy Osban and Kathy Leverett are hoping to relocate nearby soon. You can find updates on the restaurant’s Facebook page. 512-264-1169.
• Closed: Romeo’s, the longtime Italian restaurant at 1500 Barton Springs Road. A signed spotted on the front door last week reads: “Tenant has been locked out,” and “Business closed down” was scrawled on a letter left at the front door.
• Closed: Terra Burger at 10611 Research Blvd..
• Closed: The Melting Pot, 305 E. Third St. The restaurant on U.S. 183 in Jollyville remains open.
• Closed: Manny’s Uptown Kitchen, formerly Manny Hattan’s, at 9503 Research Blvd.
• Closed: Old School Grill, 6301 W. Parmer Lane. Old School Bar and Grill downtown is still open.
• Closed: Taco Real, 1335 E. Whitestone Blvd. in Cedar Park.
Pork & Pie photo by Dee Kelleher; Drink.Well photo by Emma Janzen.
Permalink | | Categories: Openings/Closings
February 21, 2012
Is Romeo's gone for good?
Romeo’s appears to have closed its doors.
A signed spotted on the front door Tuesday afternoon reads: “Tenant has been locked out,” and “Business closed down” was scrawled on a letter left at the front door.
Furniture has been removed from the patio and chairs and tables are stacked inside the restaurant, located at 1500 Barton Springs Road.
A message placed on the Romeo’s Facebook page Thursday indicates work to upgrade wiring was to blame for the closure. That was followed by a post Saturday that reads: “We’re hoping to reopen next week…We miss you too!”
Permalink | | Categories: Openings/Closings
February 20, 2012
Openings/Closings: Olive & June opens Tuesday, Mercury Pizza Shop serving pies off S. Lamar
• Open: Brew Exchange, a bar at 706 W. Sixth St. serving more than 100 beers that are priced based on supply and demand. 366-5727.
• Open: BikeCaffe Austin, a coffee shop on a bike serving organic, fair trade coffee at 816 Congress Ave. from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. weekdays. 994-7433.
• Open: Mercury Pizza Shop, a pizzeria at 2107 Kinney Avenue that also serves subs and salads. 707-7499.
• Open: South Lamar Wine and Spirits, a liquor store at 2418 S. Lamar Blvd., the former home of Chris’s Liquor, which moved to 2203 S. Lamar Blvd.
• Open: River City Coffee, a coffee shop at 5400 Brodie Lane in Sunset Valley. The latest project from Satay owner Foo Swasdee opened last summer but is hosting its grand opening celebration from noon to 2 p.m. on March 3. 582-0019.
• Open: All Star Burger, a restaurant in the Hill Country Galleria, 12921 Hill Country Blvd., that features burgers made with grass-fed beef. 263-7300.
• Open: Tootie Pie Gourmet Cafe at 701 Capitol of Texas Highway (Loop 360), the second Austin-area cafe and retail outlet for the famous Tootie Pie Company, which is based in Boerne.
• Open: Sugar and Smoke, a bakery and cafe at 249 E. Main St. in Fredericksburg from Nicole Davenport, a barbecue expert who appeared on the TLC show “BBQ Pitmasters.” The restaurant is in the space that formerly housed Rather Sweet Bakery, which closed last year. The restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch.
• Open: Gigi’s Cupcakes, 1335 E. Whitestone Blvd. in Cedar Park. The cupcake craze continues at Gigi’s Cupcakes, the first Central Texas location of the national bakery chain that started in Nashville. Gigi’s specializes in over-the-top cupcakes that you almost need a fork and a plate to eat. 528-5164.
• Open: Wholly Cow Burgers has opened a second location at 619 Congress Ave. in the space formerly occupied by the Pita Pit. As with its original location on South Lamar Boulevard, Wholly Cow will serve local, grass-fed beef from Rocky Hill Orchards in Fredericksburg as well as organic, free-range chicken.
Top Olive and June photo by Ken Lewin, secondary by Addie Broyles.
Permalink | Comments (5) | Categories: Openings/Closings
January 31, 2012
Openings/Closings: Fricano's closes original store, The Flying Carpet moves up, Red House on hiatus
• Open: The Flying Carpet. Maria and Abderrahim Souktouri, who for the past few years have been serving Moroccan food and tea out of a trailer parked off South Congress Avenue, have moved the trailer behind an old house at 504 W. Oltorf St. that they have renovated and are turning into a tea house and restaurant. Right now, they are still doing all of the cooking in the trailer, but customers can eat inside the beautifully painted and revamped house-turned-eatery. The Souktouris are still serving their regular menu of flat bread sandwiches and salads for lunch and dinner, but they have added special order tagines, which you order a day ahead of time, that are filled with dishes like prune-stewed beef, preserved lemon chicken topped with French fries fish or bastilla made with filo, slow-cooked chicken and poached eggs. 744-5651.
• Open: The Egg & I, the first Austin location of the national breakfast diner chain at 2525 W. Anderson Lane. 452-3447.
• Open: Gusto Italian Kitchen + Wine Bar. The turnaround from La Sombra at 4800 Burnet Road was quick, and the new Italian restaurant run by the same owners has reopened in the same space as their Peruvian restaurant that closed last month. In addition to daily dinner service, the restaurant is adding lunch every day but Saturday. 458-1100.
• Open: Taco-Mex, the second location of the Tex-Mex restaurant at 2944 E. 12th St., whose original location is on Manor Road. 524-1880.
• Open: Dirty Birds BBQ, a barbecue trailer at the East Side Food Park, 2209 E. Cesar Chavez St. 348-6029.
• Open: Corner Bar, a bar at the corner of South Lamar Boulevard and West Mary Street.
• Opening Wednesday: Fresh Plus Grocery, the third location of the local grocery store chain at 2917 W. Anderson Lane in Allandale, which formerly housed Sprouts and Sun Harvest.
• Moved: The South Austin location of Kerbey Lane Cafe has moved from its home at 2700 S. Lamar Blvd. and reopened just down the road at 3005 S. Lamar Blvd., which formerly housed a Blockbuster Video. The new location offers more than double the seating capacity of the previous South Lamar location, making it the second largest of the local chain’s five restaurants. Designed by architect Richard Weiss, the new restaurant features a clean, modern design with retro diner elements and three separate dining areas. 445-4451.
• Moving: Counter Culture, the vegan food truck at 120 E. North Loop Blvd. is closing this weekend so the owners can focus on the brick-and-mortar restaurant at 2337 E. Cesar Chavez St. that is scheduled to open in March.
• Closed: Fricano’s Deli has closed its original location at 104 E. 31st St. Fricano’s opened a second location at 2405 Nueces St. in the West Campus area late last year, and that shop remains open, serving from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
• Closed, for now: With the sale of the property at 1917 Manor Road, Red House Pizzeria and Bar is “on hiatus” as owner Carlos Rivero looks for a new space to reopen the restaurant. The restaurant group behind Eddie V’s, Moonshine and Hopdoddy has purchased the space, but no word just yet on what they plan to open there.
• Closed, for now: Get Sum Dim Sum, the popular fast casual dim sum eatery has closed its North Lamar Boulevard eatery and will be moving into a new location, which will be announced soon, says owner Foo Swasdee.
• Closed: True Grits Grill, the restaurant in Jonestown at 18645 FM 1431, closed last month.
Kerbey Lane photo by Matthew Odam for the Austin American-Statesman.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Openings/Closings
January 18, 2012
Openings/Closings: Long-awaited Lenoir, Easy Tiger opening in coming days
• Opening Friday: Lenoir, the prix-fixe restaurant at 1807 S. First St. from former Trio chef Todd Duplechan and his wife, Jessica Maher. I had the chance to try out the menu, which they’re calling French ethnic, during the soft opening this week. Among the highlights w1ere the wild boar osso bucco, chicken lettuce wraps topped with crunchy fried-then-dried sweet potato strands and the venison pho with made-from-scratch flat noodles and a rich broth. 215-9778.
• Opening on Monday: Easy Tiger Bake Shop and Beer Garden, 709 E. Sixth St., the newest (and much-delayed) restaurant from the 24 Diner team, including chef Andrew Curren, who appeared on this season of “Top Chef: Texas.”
• Open: Squealers, a food trailer at 1620 E. Riverside Drive serving bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches made with house-cured bacon. 703-7413.
• Open: Moses Falafel, a kosher, vegan food trailer in the parking lot of Dell Jewish Community Campus, 7300 Hart Lane. (325) 370-9796.
• Open: Hana World Market, an Asian grocery store and market at 1700 W. Parmer Lane. 832-6606.
• Reopening next month: Hickory Street, the restaurant at the corner of Eighth Street and Congress Avenue downtown that closed late last year. Brendan Puthoff, owner of Third Base and Barcelona, and partners Nate Howry and Mason Wheeless have dropped bar and grill from the name and hired Camden Stuerzenberger, formerly chef at Bess Bistro and Walton’s Fancy & Staple. The renovated restaurant will reopen in February with seasonal dishes made with mostly locally sourced ingredients.
• Renamed: Madam Mam’s at 4514 West Gate Blvd. has changed its name to Sap’s. The Anderson Lane and campus locations will still be called Madam Mam’s.
• Open: Maoz Vegetarian, the first Austin location of the international restaurant chain that based in Amsterdam. The restaurant, located in the Triangle (4601 N. Lamar Blvd.), is known for serving Belgian-style fries and pita pockets stuffed with balls of falafel. 323-2259.
• Open: The Soup Coup, a food stand serving gourmet soups at 2604 E. Seventh St. 348-7687.
• Opening Thursday: Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, the seventh Austin’s location of the California-based coffeeshop company, at Slaughter Lane Mo-Pac (Loop 1) in Circle C.
• Closed: Technique, the restaurant inside Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts near the Domain.
Permalink | | Categories: Openings/Closings
January 6, 2012
After 23 years, Shoreline Grill closing on January 31
Jeffrey Weinberger and Peggy and Ron Weiss — who just last year sold the majority of their stake in Jeffrey’s, which they opened in 1975 — have decided to close Shoreline Grill, which has been serving patrons on the shores of Lady Bird Lake for more than 23 years.
The restaurant known for serving sustainable seafood along with picturesque views of the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge and Austin’s most famous waterway has undergone a number of chef changes in recent years, and like its Clarksville counterpart, has had a hard time keeping pace with Austin’s increasingly urban and progressing dining scene. The group behind the restaurant filed for bankruptcy in August of 2010.
But, as the press release announcing the closure notes, the restaurant has long been a favorite of legislators, politicians and white collar workers downtown. It is the only restaurant partner of the Seafood Watch program of Monterey Bay Aquarium in Texas, the release notes. The restaurant’s last day of service will be January 31, and in the weeks until then, Weinberger says they’ll be featuring Shoreline favorites such as prime rib and chocolate intemperance.
Photo by Sung Park for the Austin American-Statesman.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Openings/Closings
January 3, 2012
Openings/Closings: Hoover's North, McCormick & Schmick's downtown and La Sombra close
• Moved: Gourdough’s and Trey’s Cuisine. To make way for a building project at 1219 S. Lamar Blvd., food trailers Gourdoughs and Trey’s Cuisine have moved. Trey’s Cuisine moved just north on Lamar to 1122 S. Lamar Blvd., and Gourdough’s is selling their popular (and decadent) donuts at 1503 S. First St., next to Izzoz Tacos.
• Open: Cho Sushi, the second location of the Steiner Ranch Japanese fusion restaurant at 2422 RM 620 in Lakeway, which used to house Spicy Parrott. 263-0400.
• Open: Man Bites Dog, the second brick-and-mortar location of hot dog trailer at 3005 S. Lamar Blvd. 215-0422.
• Opening this week: Krave Wine Bar and Bistro, a restaurant at 121 E. Main Ave in a historic building in downtown Round Rock. 512-800-4616.
• Closed: McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant, the downtown location of the upscale national seafood chain, which opened in the first floor of the Frost building in 2004. The location at the Domain is still open.
• Closed: La Sombra Bar and Grill, the Peruvian restaurant at 4800 Burnet Road closed on New Year’s Day to make way for Gusto Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar, a new “funky Italian” concept from co-owners Eddie Bernal and Cameron Lockley. Lockley and Bernal hired Susie Modiano, who worked previously at Il Buco and Fressen restaurants in New York, to help with menu development, but chef Julio-Cesar Florez will still be in charge of the kitchen. The owners say they would like to reopen La Sombra in another location in Austin. 458-1100.
• Closed: Ilsa’s Kitchen, a Bavarian restaurant on U.S. 71 in Spicewood.
• Closed: Hoover’s Home Cooking at 13376 Research Blvd. Longtime Austin restaurateur Hoover Alexander closed the North Austin location of his restaurant last week, but the original Manor Road eatery is still open. Earlier this year, he also opened Soular Food Trailer at 12th and Waller streets.
La Sombra photo by Mike Sutter and McCormick & Schmick’s photo by Jay Janner for the Austin American-Statesman.
Permalink | | Categories: Openings/Closings
December 29, 2011
Kocurek Family Charcuterie closing in January
Charcuterie - A Documentary from Christian Remde on Vimeo.
LeeAnn and Lawrence Kocurek have announced that they are closing their charcuterie operation, Kocurek Family Charcuterie, “in early January.”
The Kocureks started the company in 2009 after both Larry and LeeAnn had spent years learning about the craft of curing meats as they worked in the food and wine world. Their duck bacon, rilletes and meat pies quickly became the talk of the farmers’ markets, and before long, the Kocureks were selling cured meats at more than half a dozen markets in Austin and San Antonio. The couple hosted a number of supper clubs and cooking classes, where Larry Kocurek would teach students how to turn every part of an animal into something delicious.
The Kocureks have been part of a wave of local charcuterie makers that have caught the attention of the national media, including Andrew Knowlton of Bon Appetit magazine, who led a panel that included Lawrence Kocurek at this year’s Hill Country Wine and Food Festival. Two well-produced videos — the one by Christian Remde at the top of the post and another with famed New Orleans chef Donald Link — captured the spirit of what the Kocureks were trying to do.
“This has been a wonderful ride,” they posted on their website. “We want to take time to thank those who believed in our dream and helped to make it what it was.”
LeeAnn has taken a managerial job at Perla’s on South Congress, while Larry and the couple’s baby, Eugene, “will for six months be living with an indigenous tribe in the amazon learning to make sausage and charcuterie and basic the cookery of Capybara and Anaconda.” It’s nice to see they are having fun with this otherwise sad news.
Photo by Rebecca Fondren for the Austin American-Statesman.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: Eating locally, Openings/Closings
December 27, 2011
Open: Elizabeth Street Cafe serving Vietnamese food with a French twist
South First Street is going to have a big 2012.
First came JMueller BBQ earlier this year on South Congress’s little sister, and just in time to ring in the New Year, Larry McGuire — the chef behind Perla’s and Lamberts Downtown Barbecue who is also taking over the upscale Jeffrey’s in Clarksville — has opened the Elizabeth Street Cafe, a Vietnamese restaurant with a French twist in the space that used to house Bouldin Creek Coffeehouse, which relocated farther south on South First Street a year ago.
In coming months, the La Condesa team is also opening a Thai restaurant just across Elizabeth Street from McGuire’s new restaurant, and former Trio chef Todd Duplechan will open the prix-fixe Lenoir just a few blocks south.
The space is as much a fusion of the two cultures as the food. (Earlier this year, I did a story on making your own bánh mì sandwiches at home and discovered that the sandwiches are a cultural remnant of the French occupation of Vietnam.) Quaint, small tables fill up the dining area underneath an awning outside, and diners can sit at a long bar with tall barstools while they sip on a Vietnamese coffee, made with Stumptown beans, and watch South First Street pass by.
The only sign of Bouldin Creek is the round cement tables in front of the restaurant, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a cup of coffee and a breakfast sandwich. McGuire says they just added a breakfast menu with pastries, including croissants, savory menu items like beef pho with a poached egg, but the majority of the dishes coming out of the kitchen will be McGuire’s interpretation of Vietnamese classics like bún, pho, bánh mì and appetizers such as spring rolls and fried shrimp and yam cakes.
The restaurant has a full bar, with French wines taking up most of the wine list. McGuire has thrown in a few bottles of sake to give the beverage menu an Asian flair and four punches that are meant to split between a few people.
Don’t expect the jaw-droppingly low prices found at authentic Vietnamese banh mi and noodle shops in North Austin, where a bánh mì sandwich that costs more than $5 is almost unheard of. The bánh mì sandwiches at Elizabeth Street, which are filled with everything from the traditional pork pâté and chicken liver mousse to more inventive takes like the keffir lime fried chicken, run about $7 each, and the least expensive bowl of pho is $11, but McGuire is using Gulf shrimp when he can, and most of the beef, chicken and pork come from sustainable sources.
Save room in your belly and your wallet for a macaron, eclair or other sweet treat from the counter near the register. You can also buy French baguettes, croissants and other pastries to take home.
Permalink | | Categories: Eating out, Openings/Closings
December 19, 2011
Openings/Closings: Sago shutters, while Lucy's Fried Chicken, Stiles Switch, Trento open just in time for Christmas
• Open: Stiles Switch BBQ and Brew, a barbecue restaurant at 6610 N. Lamar Blvd. from Shane and Catherine Stiles with pitmaster Lance Kirkpatrick, formerly of Louie Mueller Barbecue and the now closed Mimosa Cafe in Taylor, 380-9199.
• Open: Flat Top Burger Shop, the newest restaurant from the El Chile group, which operates El Chile, El Chilito, El Alma and Red House Pizzeria, at 1900 Manor Road. 391-0936.
• Open: Cafe Malta, a European-style trattoria serving “Tex-Med,” Mediterranean-inspired food with a Texas flair at 3421 W. William Cannon Dr. 853-9584.
• Open: Trento, an Italian restaurant in Westlake Hills at 3600 N. Loop 360 (Capital of Texas Highway). 328-7555.
• Open: Sweet Ritual, a vegan ice cream parlor inside the Daily Juice Cafe at 4500 Duval Road.
• Open: Lucy’s Fried Chicken, a restaurant specializing in fried chicken from chef James Holmes of Olivia, at 2218 College Ave., just off South Congress Avenue. 297-2423.
• Open: Jino’s Sushi and Bistro, a sushi and Chinese food restaurant at 2712 Bee Cave Road in Rollingwood, the former location of Bistro 88. 347-7077.
• Open: Cake Ball Kitchen & Bar, a restaurant at the Domain, 3401 Esperanza Crossing, from Ben May and Stacy Bridge, who since 2008 have run Austin Cake Ball, a bakery that specializes in cake pops. At the restaurant, you’ll find sandwiches, appetizers and salads, as well as sweet treats and cocktails.
• Open: Chisos Grill, a restaurant next to Dillards in the Hill Country Galleria that serves a Southwestern menu. 263-7353.
• Open: Love, Mom Gourmet Lunchbox, a soup, salads and sandwich restaurant in the Hill Country Galleria. 276-2448.
• Relocated: 219 West. The restaurant and bar that was formerly at 219 W. Fourth St. is now at 612 W. Sixth St. 474-2194.
• Reopened: Los Pinos Mexican Restaurant. After a fire this summer, the popular Lake Travis-area restaurant has reopened in the same location, 4919 Hudson Bend Road. 266-3231.
• Open: Cafe Blue, the second location of the Lake Travis restaurant at the Hill Country Galleria, in the former location of Wyland’s Ocean Blue near Dillards. Chef Ben Nathan, formerly of Chez Zee, is taking over both locations, but the new location is the only one that will be open year-round. The original location at the Sandy Creek Marina is only open during the warmer months. 366-5230.
• Open: Via 313, a food truck outside the Violet Crown Social Club at 1111 East 6th Street serving Detroit-style pizza. 939-1927.
• Open: Jalapeño Joe’s Tex-Mex Bar & Grill, a Tex-Mex restaurant at 3211 Red River St. whose original home is still operating on Airport Boulevard. 628-0288.
• Opening Tuesday: Noodles & Company, the third Austin location of the Colorado-based chain at 9761 Great Hills Trail. 342-8552.
• Closed: Sago, the Mexican restaurant at the Triangle.
• Closed: Apatit Cafe, the locally focused restaurant near the Galleria in Bee Cave. Chef/owner David Sanchez has now taken over Soleil, the seafood-and-steaks restaurant next to the Oasis at 6550 Comanche Trail. 266-0600.
• Closed: Sushi A-Go-Go, the food truck from Také and Kayo Asazu, who recently opened a brick-and-mortar sushi and Japanese noodle restaurant called Koméat 4917 Airport Blvd. 712-5700.
• Closed: Nuernberg Brauhaus, the German restaurant at 1202 FM 685 in Pflugerville.
• Closed: Sprouts Farmers Markets at 2917 W. Anderson Lane, 2805 Bee Cave Road and 5601 Brodie Lane. The Arizona-based grocery chain announced last month that it would close three of its six Austin-area stores by mid-December. The company still operates three stores in the area.
Photos from the Stiles Switch, Lucy’s and Love, Mom Facebook pages and Sago photo by Larry Kolvoord for the Austin American-Statesman.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Openings/Closings
December 9, 2011
Openings/Closings: Hopfields, Austin Terrier, Bellini's Texas Grill say hello, Odd Duck says farewell
• Closing on Saturday: Odd Duck, the food truck at 1219 S. Lamar Blvd. that helped launch the career of Barley Swine chef Bryce Gilmore, who was named a best new chef this year by Food & Wine magazine. On Saturday, the final day of operations, Gilmore is hosting a farewell party starting at noon that will feature the truck’s famous pork belly sliders and other menu items, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Sustainable Food Center.
• Open and coming soon: The tasting room at Texas Hill Country Olive Company, 2530 W. Fitzhugh Road. Owner John Gambini has also built a Bistro Cafe that is set to open in the next few weeks inside the new facility. Gambini is hosting a free grand opening event from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday with tours of the olive orchard, live music and wine tasting. At the tasting bar, customers can try all three blends of olive oils, as well as the seven balsamic vinegars in flavors such as fig, peach and mandarin. Chef Elsa Gramola, who will head the Bistro Cafe, will teach a bread-baking class at 10 a.m. and an Italian cooking class at 2:30 p.m. 607-6512.
• Open: Austin Terrier, a dog-friendly restaurant at 3435 Greystone Drive specializing in sandwiches, salads and specialty pizzas. 369-3751.
• Open: Hopfields, a gastropub at 3110 Guadalupe St. from Bay and Lindsay Anthon featuring French street food from Connie Zuloaga, wine and 40 craft beers on tap. 537-0467.
• Open: Big Brotha’s Smokehouse BBQ, a barbecue restaurant at 100 12th St. in Pflugerville. 512-351-3359.
• Open: Bellini’s Texas Grill, a Texas-Tuscan fusion restaurant from Gerald and Suzy Freeny at 12800 W. Parmer Lane in Cedar Park featuring onion rings, sliders, cheesesteaks, panini, burgers, pizzas, pastas and salads. 528-8558.
• Open: Muscle Maker Grill, the first Austin-location of the health-conscious restaurant chain based in New Jersey 906 Congress Ave., in the former Marrakesh Cafe space. 457-9400.
• Open: Spec’s Wines, Spirits and Finer Foods at 1013 W. University Ave. in Georgetown. 512-868-6696.
• Open: Pakwan, an Indian restaurant serving a lunch buffet and a la carte dinner featuring dishes such as murg tikka hara bhara, lachedar paratha and vegetable jhalfrazie from chefs Laila Prasla and Ravi Chandra at 3601 W. William Cannon Drive. 366-5204.
• Open: Ah La Cart, a food truck at 4418 Packsaddle Pass serving seasonal dishes such as oven-roasted Brussels sprouts and smoked cheddar mac and cheese using meat and produce from local suppliers. 503-927-3813.
• Open: Fore, a upscale restaurant and bar at 900 S. RM 620 in Lakeway serving dishes from executive chef James Ramsey such as scallops, grilled lamb, steaks and pork tenderloin flavored with Fredericksburg peaches. 263-3673.
• Open: El Tacorrido, a drive-through taco shop at 2316 S. First St. 912-1939.
• Open: Thunder Heart Bison: Ranch to Trailer, a trailer at 1120 W. Fifth St, from rancher Patrick Fitzsimons, who runs Thunderheart Bison, and chef Cat New featuring locally sourced, seasonal dishes, many of which contain the bison meat that Fitzsimons raises in South Texas. 210-789-9866.
Photos by Suzy Freeny, David Nichols and Sean Gambini.
Permalink | | Categories: Openings/Closings
November 18, 2011
Openings/Closings: Noble Pig, Royal Fig, Noodles & Co. expand
• Opening Nov. 25: Noble Pig Deli and Charcuterie, an extension of the Noble Pig sandwich shop at 11815 RM 620 North. After the success of the sandwich shop, Noble Pig owners John Bates and Brandon Martinez decided to offer a place where customers could just buy bread, charcuterie and condiments, including bacon, rillettes, pickles, chutney and a variety of mustards, which are all made in-house. 382-6248.
• Open: Blue Dog Pizza, a trailer selling stone-baked pizzas at 601 W. Live Oak St. 800-9186.
• Open: Co-op Market, a small grocery store next to the University Coop at 2304 Guadalupe St. The store features mostly convenience items, but also sells beer and wine. 476-7211.
• Open: The Seedling Truck, a food truck featuring “farm fresh rustic cuisine” and operated by Royal Fig Catering chef Dan Stacy. The roving truck will serve lunch, dinner and weekend brunch that changes with the season. Menus, locations and hours online. 761-1721.
• Open: Saigon Street, a Vietnamese mobile eatery at 5310 Airport Blvd. that serves dishes including pho, banh mi sandwiches and noodle dishes. 925-5609.
• Open: Noodles & Company, the second Austin location of the Colorado-based noodle chain at 24th and Guadalupe Streets near the University of Texas campus. 420-0016.
• Coming soon: Austin Cake Ball Kitchen & Bar, a restaurant extension of the Austin pastry company, at the Domain, 3401 Esperanza Crossing.
Permalink | | Categories: Openings/Closings
November 1, 2011
Parkside's Shawn Cirkiel to open Italian restaurant called Olive & June in old El Arbol space
Shawn Cirkiel isn’t turning on his Polish roots, but the chef/owner of Parkside isn’t just dabbling in Italian with his Backspace pizzeria that opened a year ago — he’s turning the former El Arbol space at 3411 Glenview Ave. into an Italian restaurant called Olive & June (the combined middle names of his grandmother and his wife’s grandmother), which he’s hoping to open early next year.
“The goal is to beat South by Southwest,” he says.
It’s been a decade since Cirkiel jumped into the spotlight of Austin’s food scene when he bought Jean Luc’s Bistro. Cirkiel, who was in his mid-20s at the time, ended up closing the five-star French restaurant three years later to put the wheels in motion for a restaurant that he could call his own.
He chose an unlikely space — a worn building in the heart of East Sixth Street that had housed Dan McKlusky’s steakhouse since 1990, and in 2008, opened Parkside, an upscale but comfortable eatery that serves things like raw oysters and raw fish dishes, guanciale (pork-cheek)-wrapped quail, grilled venison with pickled blueberries and marrow bones topped with an herb salad.
It’s mix of cuisines that’s hard to classify, which is why Austin diners perked up when Cirkiel went Italian last year when he opened a pizzeria behind Parkside called Backspace a year ago.
Like many chefs, Cirkiel’s travels to Italy have influenced his cooking, but the roots of his love of Italy go back to the Italian American hub of Arthur Avenue in the South Bronx, where his dad grew up and where Cirkiel remembers enjoying jovial family dinners as a kid.
The focus at Olive & June will be Southern Italian menu, “with a little Northern mixed in,” he says, with half a dozen antipasti and 15 to 20 even smaller bites called piccoli piatti, as well as handmade fresh pastas and entrées — with dishes like grilled swordfish topped with mint, capers and olive oil, roasted eggplant and breadcrumbs that play on the traditional meatball, baby lamb and polenta — but no pizzas. (You’ll have to go to Backspace for that.)
Italian food culture is based on the premise of eating what grows well where you live, so expect to find food that reflects the seasons, Cirkiel says. Eventually, he plans to add brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, as well as Sunday nights that only feature the small plates and a family-style supper that would change every week.
With the help of his chef de cuisine, Justin Rupp, and pastry chef Steven Cak, Cirkiel will run all three kitchens, floating from restaurant to restaurant, depending on the day. General manager Harlan Scott will oversee all three restaurants as well.
They plan to turn the offices on third floor at Glenview Avenue into private dining spaces and to “soften” the look of the patio with a lot of greenery and flowers. “Imagine a cross between Santa Barbara and the Amalfi Coast,” Cirkiel says.
Updated 11/3 to correct name of Arthur Avenue in the South Bronx. Photo by Jay Janner for the Austin American-Statesman.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: Eating out, Food in the news, Openings/Closings
October 27, 2011
After almost 52 years, Mike's Pub closes -- for now
Don’t throw in the towel on Mike’s Pub just yet.
The longtime downtown burger joint is trying to renegotiate its lease to stay in a small upstairs space off Seventh Street and Congress Avenue, but owner Chris Lavas says he’s put in his final offer and that while it’s “possible” the property owner will accept it, “I wouldn’t say likely.”
Mike’s Pub has been open in various locations downtown since Lavas’ grandfather, Mike Lavas, opened it in 1959. It’s been at 108 E. Seventh St. since 1973, serving burgers to everyone from lawyers to construction workers who work in the downtown area. “We are closed right now,” Lavas said on Thursday. “It’s looking bleak whether or not we can resign the lease at this location.”
But Lavas, who bought the place from his dad in 2001, says he still wants to stay in the restaurant business and is looking at other locations.
“I would like to open it back up,” Lavas said. “There have been tons of people that have expressed how much they would like to see us reopen somewhere.”
Lavas said that they’ll update the website with details if they work out an agreement with the property owner or if they find another home for the restaurant.
Photos by Marla Brose for the Austin American-Statesman.
Permalink | | Categories: Eating out, Food in the news, Openings/Closings
October 25, 2011
Openings/Closings: Second Fricano's Deli, plus Stack Burger Bar, Estancia Churrascaria opening Wednesday
• Opening Wednesday: Stack Burger Bar, a burger bar from Tre Dotson, Octavio Benavides, and Mike Yassine, featuring homemade condiments, cocktails and a variety of burgers, including some made with ahi tuna and crab, at 208 W. Fourth St, 457-8225.
• Opening Wednesday: Estancia Churrascaria at the Arboretum, 10000 Research Blvd. the second location of the locally owned Brazilian steakhouse. 345-5600.
• Open: Fricano’s Deli, the second location of the popular UT-area sandwich shop at 2405 Nueces St. 482-3322.
• Open: Old School Bar and Grill, 401 E. Sixth St., Dan Parrott’s second brick-and-mortar extension of his popular Old School BBQ and Grill trailer, which is housed in a school bus. Live music upstairs in the music venue, called Trinity Hall, starts Thursday. 722-6351.
• Open: La Boîte, the second location of the cafe-in-a-shipping-container at 10th Street and Congress Avenue.
• Open: PhoNatic, a Vietnamese restaurant at 2525 W. Anderson Lane. 458-8889.
• Open: Cici’s Pizza, the eighth Austin-area location of the national pizza chain at 2525 W. Anderson Lane.
• Opening Friday: Gourmands Neighborhood Pub, a gastropub at 2316 Webberville Road that features a selection of wine, spirits and craft beers. 610-2031.
• Renamed: All-In-One Bakeshop has changed its named to Make It Sweet.
Photos from La Boîte and Stack Burger Bar Facebook pages.
Permalink | | Categories: Openings/Closings
October 24, 2011
Gatti's Pizza debuting new fast-casual eatery in Central Austin
Austin-based Gatti’s Pizza is growing, debuting a new restaurant concept Tuesday.
Simply known as Gatti’s, the upscale, fast-casual eatery — the first of six planned for Central Texas — is located in Hancock Plaza, 1000 E. 41st St.
“Artisans” are paired with diners as they enter, guiding them one-on-one through the ordering process, start to finish.
Customers can choose from a selection of on-the-menu gourmet pizzas and salads or they can create their own. The restaurant also offers an assortment of baked sandwiches, as well as beer and wine.
Bags, bowls, cups, napkins, pizza boxes and to-go utensils are all made of recycled, compostable materials, the company says.
“When the first Gatti’s Pizza opened some 40 years ago, people traveled from miles away to try our famous pizza,” said Gatti’s Pizza president Michael Mrlik.
“We are excited to open our new fast-casual concept and introduce craveable menu items along with our great pizzas in a format that gives our guests many more choices.”
At just 2,400 square feet, Gatti’s is smaller than most Gatti’s Pizza locations, which can be as large as 8,000 square feet. The restaurant has 25 employees, and can seat 70 people.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Openings/Closings
October 18, 2011
Openings/Closings: Lick Ice Creams, Penzeys Spices and new cheese/charcuterie shop in South Austin
• Closed and coming soon: The Airport Boulevard location of Sushi A-Go-Go sushi trailer, whose owners are opening a Japanese restaurant called Koméat 4917 Airport Blvd. in the next few weeks. The Barton Springs Sushi-A-Go-Go trailer will remain open.
• Open: Hill Country Pierogi, a food trailer at the corner of 11th and Lydia streets specializing in the Eastern European dumplings called pierogi.
• Open: Handshakes, a milkshake trailer located in a bus next to Cheer Up Charlie’s at 1104 E. Sixth St. 832-782-4406.
• Open: Five Guys, the fourth Central Texas location of the national burger chain at 3107 S. Interstate 35, Suite 750, in Round Rock. 246-7193.
• Open: Qdoba Mexican Grill, the second Austin location of the national chain of Mexican restaurants at 2402 Guadalupe St., the former Tower Records building. 243-8118.
• Open: Penzeys Spices, the first Austin location of the national spice chain at 4400 N. Lamar Blvd. 452-7771.
• Opening Monday: Noodles & Company, the first of three planned locations of the Colorado-based pasta restaurant chain at 2525 W. Anderson Lane. The other locations, on the Drag near the University of Texas and in the Arboretum, should open in the next few months.
• Moving: 219West, the restaurant and bar at 219 W. Fourth St. is moving out of the Warehouse District address that gave it its name and into the former Union Park space at 612 W. Sixth St., where it will reopen next month.
• Coming soon: Wasota African Cuisine, a food trailer at 1209 S. First St. from Lawrence Osas Eguakun, who ran World Beat Cafe near the University of Texas campus for a number of years. 565-3864.
• Coming soon: Henri’s, a cheese, charcuterie and wine shop in between Lick Ice Creams and Barley Swine near the intersection of West Mary Street and South Lamar Boulevard. I don’t know much about this place, but when I was checking out Lick on Sunday, I found the above signage hanging inside a sizable space that was still under construction.
• Closed: Chopsticks Chinese and Vietnamese Cuisine at 6929 Airport Blvd.
• Sold: Eddie V’s. All eight Eddie V’s restaurants, including the two in Austin, were sold last week to Darden Restaurants, which also owns Red Lobster. Eddie V’s was founded in 2000 by Austinites Larry Foles and Guy Villavaso.
• On the way: The Goodnight, a combined bowling alley, pool hall, bar and restaurant at 2700 W. Anderson Lane, which used to house a Fuddruckers. The hybrid establishment isn’t set to open until next spring, but the general manager says they are hoping to name an executive chef in coming weeks.
Permalink | | Categories: Openings/Closings
October 13, 2011
JMueller BBQ opens with a bang, some killer brisket
John Mueller is back.
It’s been a bumpy road to get here, but after five years since closing his eponymous barbecue joint on Manor Road, one of the living legends of Texas barbecue is smoking briskets again out of a trailer in South Austin.
Mueller, who hails from the great barbecue family whose name is pronounced “Miller” for those of you new to town, opened up JMueller BBQ last weekend at 1502 S. First St., right across the street from what will be Elizabeth Street Cafe (from Perla’s chef Larry McGuire and company) and a Thai restaurant (from La Condesa chef Rene Ortiz and company), and today, I finally got to check out the new operation.
I had a lunch date with Tiffany Harelik of Trailer Food Dairies (who is coming out with a trailer cookbook on Oct. 22, the same day as her Gypsy Picnic Trailer Food Festival at Auditorium Shores, but more on that next week) and her PR rep, Karen Frost, and we all went for the same thing: brisket sandwiches.
Mueller is known for his brisket and sausages, and both were exceptional, especially for city ‘cue. The chipotle slaw was good, but the butter, cheesey baked squash was downright sinful. (I’m already planning on bringing some to my family’s Thanksgiving dinner. Another side note: I was so hungry and excited to eat that I forgot to actually take photos of the food. My bad.)
The good food, I expected. The number of businessmen in white collared shirts, on the other hand, was a little surprising. Out of the thirty or so people eating lunch at 11 a.m. today, there were only four women, including the three at my table.
Not that businessmen don’t eat barbecue, but there were just so many of them, including a few at the table next to ours who were fans of his when he had the Manor Road restaurant and who were just so excited about the food I had to put a camera in their face so they could tell you themselves.
After lunch, I chatted briefly with John, who seems to be doing really well considering the immense amount of pressure he’s experienced this week. In addition to running a trailer that everyone knew would be popular from the minute it opened, he’s having to be in the middle of the media spotlight, which isn’t an easy feat for a guy who is more comfortable tending his pits at 3 a.m. when everyone else is asleep.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: Chewing the fat, Eating out, Openings/Closings
October 10, 2011
Openings/Closings: Hole in the Wall adds food, John Mueller is back (for real this time)
• Open: JMueller BBQ. After a summer of fits and starts, Austin pitman John Mueller has finally opened a barbecue food trailer at 1502 S. First St. Mueller, who used to run the eponymous restaurant on Manor Road that closed about five years ago, sold out in two hours on Saturday, his first day of being open, and he says that after being closed Sunday and today, he’ll reopen Tuesday at 10 a.m. Hours will be Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., or until they sell out.
• Open: Lavaca Teppan, a Japanese restaurant serving lunch and dinner in a beautifully designed space at 1712 Lavaca St. Owner Yoko Niizeki’s minimalist menu features entrees including grilled beef, chicken and shrimp, along with a few added items like filet mignon and tempura vegetables and shrimp for dinner. 520-8630.
• Open: Tako, a taco trailer at 415 Jessie St. featuring food from Mike Rivera, who also works at Contigo. Rivera and his girlfriend, who recently moved to Austin from Louisiana, also serve a Cajun brunch Sundays with gumbo and homemade boudin. Rivera says that within a month or so, he and the other trailers in the space (La Tasca, The Kitchen Window and Cha Thai) hope to start hosting a Thursday even farmers’ market. 504-491-9423
• Open: Double Trouble BBQ, a barbecue trailer in a boat serving chopped brisket, pulled pork, pulled chicken and sausage at 5300 S. Congress Ave. Monday through Friday and on the lake on the weekends, usually in the cove across Lake Austin from the Hula Hut. 971-5410.
• Open: Hole in the Wall. The longtime bar on the Drag near the University of Texas campus has added a restaurant in the back, serving lunch, dinner, daily specials and breakfast all day, starting at 7 a.m. 302-1470.
• In transition: Mirabelle. Last week, Michael Vilim, who founded Mirabelle on Mesa Drive in 1998, announced that he’d sold the restaurant to Brian O’Neill, who had owned restaurants and jazz clubs in Boston before moving to Austin in 2004 to manage Uchi and help open the Belmont and, later, Max’s Wine Dive. After being closed for about a week, O’Neill says he plans to reopen as Mirabelle and “for the rest of the year, I’m just going to leave it alone. There are parties and expectations and I need to meet the clientele and figure it all out. Starting around January 1, the Mirabelle that I envision will be much more of a neighborhood French bistro.” O’Neill says he will be keeping the staff on and that wants to introduce Saturday and Sunday brunch before the end of the year. “I’m just ecstatic.” 346-7900.
• Opening Oct. 17: The League Kitchen & Tavern, a restaurant at 1310 RM 620 South, from restaurateur Tony Ciola and Creed Ford IV, son of Carino’s owner Creed Ford III. Executive chef is Devin Gernert, who previously worked at LuQa, the Stoneleigh Hotel and Nobu in Dallas, will be in charge of the kitchen.
• Open: Napoli’s, an Italian restaurant at 11905 Bee Cave Road. 263-0455.
• Open: Lizzie’s Lunchbox, a trailer operated by Lisa Allen featuring wraps, sandwiches and salads at 10401 Jollyville Road. 217-8848.
• Open: Torchy’s Tacos, 11521 RM 620, the eighth Austin location of the taco restaurant that originated in a trailer in South Austin. 381-8226.
• Closed: Graze, the promising restaurant at 1707 E. Sixth St. that only recently opened posted a sign last week that said they would be closed through the end of the year.
• Coming soon: Lick Ice Creams, an ice cream shop at 2032 S. Lamar Blvd. serving seasonal, artisan ice creams made with organic milk and cream.
Top and bottom photos from JMueller BBQ and Lizzie’s Lunchbox Facebook pages.
Permalink | | Categories: Openings/Closings
September 30, 2011
Mirabelle sold, closing for 'a short period of renovation and renewal'
Early this morning, Michael Vilim, who founded Mirabelle on Mesa Drive in 1998, sent out this email to people on his newsletter list:
Mirabelle will be closing Wednesday, October 5th for a short period of renovation and renewal. Michael, Patrick and the Mirabelle owners have decided to make a change and Tuesday will be our last day. It’s been a great pleasure to have Mirabelle be the place where you’ve shared so many of the important occasions in your lives and also gratifying to be a place in the neighborhood where friends meet to share a good meal or bottle of wine. Please join us this weekend to celebrate 12 years of fine food and great friends.
Personally I’ve felt privileged to be part of your lives and I’d like to thank you for your support over the years. I’m looking forward to taking some time off, recharging my batteries, and visiting vineyards instead of hearing Patrick recount extravagant tales about them. If you can’t come by before we close on Wednesday, please be sure and visit when Mirabelle reopens the following week. Brian O’Neil (sic), who’s a terrific fellow and has run many top notch restaurants in town and across the country, has purchased the restaurant and he and the staff will be here serving up great food and wine for years to come.
For fans of Michael Vilim’s Mirabelle, tonight and tomorrow are your chances to say farewell.
“We’ll be closed for more than a day, but less than a week,” O’Neill said Friday morning. “For the rest of the year, I’m just going to leave it alone. There are parties and expectations and I need to meet the clientele and figure it all out. Starting around January 1, the Mirabelle that I envision will be much more of a neighborhood French bistro.”
O’Neill says he will be keeping the staff on and that wants to introduce Saturday and Sunday brunch before the end of the year. “I’m just ecstatic.”
Photo by Ha Lam for the Austin American-Statesman.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Food in the news, Openings/Closings
September 23, 2011
Openings/Closings: Hat Creek Burger expands, Driskill renovates, John Mueller returns
• Open: Hat Creek Burger, the second location of the locally owned burger company at 5902 Bee Cave Road, where Pots and Plants Garden Center used to be.
• Opening Sunday: Eleven Plates & Wine, a wine bar at 3801 N. Loop 360 (Capital of Texas Highway). The “upscale casual” restaurant is owned by Mike and Kelly Swartz, who also own two Melting Pot restaurants in Austin, and features a menu developed consulting chef Sean Fulford (formerly of Vin Bistro) and Kevin Dee, who left the Hyatt Regency Downtown to work at Eleven. 328-0110.
• Reopened: Juiceland. Matt Shook has renamed and rebranded his Daily Juice locations as Juiceland, juice and smoothie bars at 1625 Barton Springs Road and 2307 Lake Austin Blvd. Juiceland features an expanded juice menu as well as a number of superfood snacks and salads. 480-9501 and 628-0782.
• Opening soon: JMueller BBQ, a barbecue food trailer at 1502 S. First St. from Austin pitman John Mueller, who used to run the eponymous restaurant on Manor Road, which closed about five years ago.
• Renovated: The Driskill Bar & Grill, 604 Brazos St. The fine dining restaurant inside the 125-year-old Driskill Hotel has undergone an upgrade that includes expanded seating capacity. 391-7162.
• Closed: Wyland’s Ocean Blue at the Hill Country Galleria.
• Closed: Bella Sera, the Italian restaurant at 11905 Bee Cave Road.
• Closed: El Arbol, the South American restaurant at 3411 Glenview Ave.
• Closed: The Belmont, the rat pack-inspired restaurant on West Sixth Street.
• Closing Oct. 1: Hickory Street, the 28-year-old restaurant at the corner of Eighth Street and Congress Avenue.
Photos from Reel Popcorn and Juiceland Facebook pages.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Openings/Closings
September 22, 2011
El Arbol, The Belmont close without notice
Updated with links to a business story by Gary Dinges, which outlines plans for El Arbol chef and general manager and how customers can get a refund on Living Social coupon.
The economy is taking a toll on local restaurants.
El Arbol and The Belmont closed this week without much notice to customers.
“We would like to thank everyone that has been a guest at El Arbol, at this time we are having to close our doors,” El Arbol, the South American restaurant in Central Austin, posted on its Facebook page. “We can’t thank our wonderful staff and guests enough. It has been our pleasure.”
The Belmont sent out this notice to people who had booked events at the West Sixth Street nightclub/restaurant: “We regret to inform you that The Belmont is closed indefinitely and without warning as of today, September 21, 2011. We apologize for the extreme inconvenience this may cause you and your guests…We are sincerely sorry for this and wish you nothing but the best of luck with your event.”
Earlier this summer, El Arbol general manager said that with 60 percent of the seating outdoors, the extreme heat meant fewer guests in the restaurant. Even with $5,000 worth of oscillating fans, it wasn’t cool enough to eat outside until about 8 p.m., Farnsworth said.
These closings leave many diners with unspent gift certificates and discount coupons through sites such as Living Social. UPDATE: Customers who had purchased a Living Social coupon for El Arbol can get their money back. One of the reasons restaurants sign up for those social discount sites is to get a rush of customers in an otherwise slow time, but it’s not always enough to save them.
As restaurants transition from summer to fall and even more of them come on the scene, it’s likely that we’ll see more closings from places that are teetering on the edge. Many are offering weeknight discounts, special dinners or other deals to bring people in the door. If you have a place you’ve been wanting to try, or a favorite eatery that you suspect might not be doing so well, now is the time to put your dollars to work.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: Food in the news, Openings/Closings
September 14, 2011
'Yes, We're Open': Savory Spice Shop in Arboretum, Sputnik
• Opening Thursday: Savory Spice Shop, the second location of the Colorado-based chain that specializes in spices, herbs and seasoning blends. The store is located in the Arboretum, 10000 Research Blvd., right next to Con’ Olio, a locally owned olive oil and vinegar store. 524-3964.
• Open: Bella Cucina, a trailer at 3600 S. Lamar Blvd. serving Italian sandwiches, arancini (fried rice balls) and Italian ice.
• Open: Scratch. Located next to Bella Cucina at 3600 S. Lamar Blvd., Scratch serves sandwiches, salads, tacos and desserts. 650-6414
• Open: Sputnik, a burger, beer and hot dog eatery at 1300 E. Sixth St., the former location of The Good Knight.
• Open: G’s Deli, a sandwich shop in an renovated house at 2312 S. First St.
• Open: Regal Ravioli, a trailer at 1602 E. Sixth St. selling handmade stuffed ravioli and potato gnocchi. 364-9752.
• Open: Viuda Bistro, a restaurant at 108 Main St. in Buda, serving a seasonal menu that right now includes prime rib, homemade fettuccine and yak meat. 295-2053.
• Coming this fall: Lenoir at 1807 S. First St. Todd Duplechan announced last week that he is leaving Trio in the Four Seasons to open a restaurant in the former space that housed Somnio’s Cafe with his wife and fellow chef, Jessica Maher.
Photos from Savory Spice and Sputnik Facebook pages.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Openings/Closings
September 13, 2011
As Paradise Cafe on Sixth closes, Old School Bar and Grill moving in
After 30 years at the corner of Sixth and Trinity streets downtown, Paradise Cafe closed last weekend, and in its place will be Old School Bar and Grill, an extension of the Old School restaurant and food trailer operated by Austin restaurateur Dan Parrott.
In July, more than a year after he opened the roaming barbecue trailer in a yellow school bus, Parrott opened Old School Grill, a restaurant at 6301 W. Parmer Lane.
Parrott says that the downtown location will incorporate much of the menu of the restaurant, minus the dishes that have to be cooked on a saute line because the new location at 401 E. Sixth St. has a smaller kitchen.
In the upstairs space will be Austin Cotton Exchange, a live music venue that will feature music from “different genres on different days of the week,” Parrot says. The new restaurant will also feature the same cocktail and wine menus of Old School Grill.
“We want to bring a level of service to Sixth that you don’t typically get in a lot of places,” Parrott says. He plans on opening every day at 11 a.m. and closing at 2 a.m., with the menu changing as the crowd inevitably changes. “I know there’s lunch down there… and dinner is sitting there waiting. I know happy hour is, too,” he says. But after that, he plans to offer a reduced menu with dishes such as sliders for what he calls “drunk 30.” “From 10 p.m. on, it is what it is down there,” Parrott says of that section of Sixth Street between Congress and Interstate 35.
Parrott says he is shooting for an Oct. 24 opening date.
Old School BBQ and Grill, the school bus food trailer, has been closed this summer while they got the first restaurant off the ground, but look for the bus to be back in a few weeks in a new location at 27th and Guadalupe.
Photos by Mike Sutter and Dan Parrott.
Permalink | | Categories: Eating out, Food in the news, Openings/Closings
September 6, 2011
'Yes, We're Open': Cazamanze on Cesar Chavez, Coal Vines downtown
• Open: El Señor Mexican Cuisine, a Mexican restaurant at 10601 FM 2222. 372-9700.
• Opening Thursday: Coal Vines, an Austin location of the Dallas pizza bistro at 314 W. Second St. The restaurant, serving coal-fired pizzas, salads, pastas and other entrées, will start with dinner service first and then add brunch and lunch in coming weeks. 473-2744.
• Opening Friday: Bacon, a bacon-themed restaurant serving breakfast all day, as well as lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch at 900 W. 10th St. In addition to burgers, BLT and the like, the menu will feature bacon in flavors ranging from classic to cinnamon to mango habanero, according to the website. 322-9777.
• Coming this fall: Swift’s Attic, a restaurant with Mat Clouser at the helm in the space above the Elephant Room that formerly house Kyoto.
• Coming this fall: Austin Terrier, a dog-friendly restaurant featuring a menu made with mostly local, sustainably raised ingredients. 3435 Greystone Drive.
Photo from Bacon Facebook page.
Permalink | | Categories: Openings/Closings
August 29, 2011
'Yes, We're Open': Graze on E. Sixth, Snap Kitchen in a pod, taco bar offshoot of Sullivan's
• Opening Wednesday: Sully’s Side Bar, a tacos-tequila-and-beer offshoot of Sullivan’s Steakhouse at 300 Colorado St. Sullivan’s has renovated the former Ringside jazz bar space and given head chef Carlos Garcia a chance to cook food, mainly tacos, that he grew up eating on his grandmother’s farm in Mexico. Tacos, including one of the better fish tacos to be found in the city right now, are the primary focus, but don’t miss the sweet potato chips and guacamole, made with garlic juice and finely grated smoked Gouda cheese. (It sounds like an odd combination, but everyone at our table at a media tasting last week agreed it was one of the best bites we had.) The drink menu is built around tequila and cocktails, but you’ll find a number of local brews and tequila on tap. 495-6504.
• Open: Graze. The team behind Graze Catering has opened a restaurant at 1707 E. Sixth St. that features a limited, but interesting and mostly locally-sourced menu, including duck confit tostadas, yucca cakes topped with curried beef short rib, burgers made with wagyu beef, tomato jam and grain mustard aïoli on homemade buns, herb-brined chicken and wine-braised pork shoulder. 391-6225.
• Open: Biscuits and Groovy, the second location of the biscuits-and-gravy trailer at 1104 E. Sixth St., next to Cheer-Up Charlies. Both the new location and the original (5015 Duval St.) feature a number of variations on biscuits, named after stars like Aretha Franklin and Gloria Gaynor, that are smothered in vegan or non-vegan gravy. 804-8285.
• Open: Carnevore Tacos, a trailer at the corner of Fifth and Trinity streets serving Laredo-style tacos, including carne asada.
• Open: Snap Pod, the third location of the ready-to-eat nutritional foods company Snap Kitchen. Snap Pod is located in a recycled shipping container at 215 Congress Ave. and features a limited, but rotating menu of Snap Kitchen favorites, as well as the option of ordering freshly cooked proteins, including sushi-grade ahi tuna, salmon and grass-fed beef.
• Open: Pecan Street Brewing, located at 106 E. Pecan Drive in Johnson City, directly across the street from the historic courthouse. Owned by Tim and Patty Elliott, the brewpub features pub fare, including pizzas, burgers and salads, as well as dinner specials that recently have included Cajun salmon, steak frites and fish and chips. In addition to the housemade beers that include The Lady Bird’s Wit, a Belgian brew spiced with orange peel and coriander; the Catcher in the Wheat, an American wheat; and the malty English-style Jackalope Brown Ale, Pecan Street serves wines from neighboring winemakers, including Becker Vineyards and Texas Hills Vineyard. Open for dinner starting at 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, as well as lunch Thursday through Saturday, starting at 11 a.m. 830-868-2500,
• Closed: Chez Moi Bistro, the breakfast-and-lunch bistro at 1403 Lavaca St.
• Closed: Dog Almighty, the hot dog eatery at 3005 S. Lamar Blvd.
• Closing Wednesday: Triumph Cafe, the Vietnamese restaurant at cafe at 3808 Spicewood Springs Road.
Photos by Aimee Wenske and from Pecan Street Brewing.
Permalink | | Categories: Openings/Closings
August 22, 2011
'Yes, We're Open': Sam's BBQ, two kebap shops on campus
I’m weeks behind in posting the latest openings and closings in the Austin area, and this time of year, it seems like there are even more than usual.
Openings/Closings is a standing item in Food Matters, which runs inside the weekly food section, but I’ll try to repost them on the blog more frequently than I have been. If you have a tip on a recently opened or closed place, drop me a line at abroyles@statesman.com.
• Reopen: Sam’s BBQ, the East Austin standby at 2000 E. 12th St., that closed last month, following a sting operation in which, according to the Austin Police Department, the owners of three restaurants bought stolen meat. Sam’s owner Brian Mays says he was able to get his health permit back after meeting with officials because the kind of meat involved in the sting isn’t what’s sold on his menu, but he is still required to show up at a court date in September to deal with the criminal charges.
• Open: Verts Kebap. Just in time for University of Texas students to return to campus comes two locations of Verts Kebap — one in the Dobie Mall and the other on the Drag in the former Slices and Ices location — specializing in döner kebabs, the Turkish shaved meat sandwich found on street corners throughout the world. 2021 Guadalupe St. and 2530 Guadalupe St. (972) 762-7235.
• Open: Good 2 Go, a spin-off of Grove Wine Bar & Kitchen in West Lake Hills selling to-go versions of the wine bar’s pastas, pizzas, salads, sandwiches, dressings, cheeses, accouterments and bottles of wine. The store is across the parking lot from Grove at 6317 Bee Cave Road. 327-4246.
• Reopening: Kenichi, the 10-year-old sushi restaurant at 419 Colorado St. in the warehouse district has remodeled the facility, launched a new menu and added Shane Stark, who created the original menu in 2001 but was previously at Paggi House, as executive chef. 320-8883.
• Open: Wheat’s Austin, a barbecue trailer serving lunch at 6701 Burnet Road. Cousins and co-owners Adam Lineham and Joe Rowland have created a menu of Texas barbecue with a Mexican twist. “It’s what I deem true Texas cuisine,” says Rowland, who is making traditional Texas dry-rubbed, smoked barbecue and serving it with tortas, charros beans, roasted corn and poblano cole slaw and potato salad with serrano, cilantro and bacon. 809-1149.
• Open: Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, the fourth Austin-area location of the Kansas-based chain, at 4625 W. William Cannon Dr. 358-0080.
• Open: P. Terry’s Burger Stand, the fifth location of the Austin burger chain at 3311 RM 620 South in Lakeway, across the street from Lake Travis High School. 263-9433.
• Open: YaYa Cafe & Shaved Ice, a Vietnamese restaurant at 3706 Guadalupe St. No website yet; find them on Facebook.
• Opening this week: Dock and Roll Diner, a trailer just west of Loop 360 on Bee Cave Road. Co-owner Lee Krassner says he was inspired by the lobster roll, a Northwest summer staple, to create a line of six gourmet rolls, including the lobster roll and the Infidel Castro, “our take on the Cuban sandwich.” Sides include homemade tater tots and grilled corn. 6416 Bee Cave Road. 657-8415.
• Coming soon: Bacon, a bacon-themed restaurant with a menu by Tyler Johnson (formerly of Along Came a Slider trailer) in the former Screaming Goat location at 10th Street and North Lamar Boulevard.
• Coming soon: Sputnik, a burger and hot dog restaurant in the former Good Knight building at 1300 E. Sixth St.
• Closed: Somnio’s Cafe, the all-local restaurant on South First Street. The owners announced on Facebook that the restaurant would not be renewing its lease at the end of the month. “We don’t have any immediate plans of reopening, and would need some investors for anything near term.”
• Closed: Suzi’s China Grill in Rollingwood.
• Closed: Bistro 88, the Euro-Asian fusion restaurant in Rollingwood.
• Closed: Benihana, the Austin location of the Japanese restaurant at Research and Mo-Pac boulevards.
Photos by Alberto Martínez for the Austin American-Statesman, Lara Berendt, Tom Lineham and Lee Krassner.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Openings/Closings
August 19, 2011
Somnio's Cafe closing after this Sunday's brunch
The vegetarian-friendly restaurant that featured produce from Sunset Valley Farmers Marke, pork from Richardson Farms and Dewberry Hills chicken will serve their last dinner Saturday from 5 p.m.-10 p.m. and their final brunch beginning Sunday at 10 a.m.
The owners say that fans of the unassuming restaurant can stay in contact via email or through Somnio’s Facebook page.
Photos: Somnio’s Cafe by Brett Gerbe FOR AMERICAN-STATESMAN.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Openings/Closings
July 1, 2011
'Yes, We're Open': Belgian pub downtown, San Marcos food trailer park, Cajun grill in old Mama Roux location
• Open: Flix Brewhouse, a movie theater with an in-house microbrewery and restaurant 2200 S. Interstate 35 at the northwest corner of Hester’s Crossing in Round Rock. The theater will show first-run movies, starting with “Transformers 3” this week. The full-service kitchen, run by chef Scott Reed, won’t be fully up and running for a few more weeks, though, and the first tastings from the microbrewery are slated for mid August. 244-3549.
• Opening today: East Side King, the third location of the Japanese street food trailer at 1615 E. Sixth St., inside Shangri-La. Each of the East Side King trailers has a different menu, and this one will focus on chopped Asian sausages.
• Open: Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, the second Austin location of the Dallas-based barbecue restaurant at 5207 Brodie Lane. 892.2283.
• Open: Spec’s Wine, Spirits and Finer Foods, the ninth Austin-area location of the Houston-based food, wine, liquor and beer store at 10601 RM 620. 506-8316.
• Open through August 10: SFC neighborhood farmers’ markets. In addition to the farmers’ markets in Sunset Valley, downtown and at the Triangle, the Sustainable Food Center operates the following neighborhood markets during the summer: 8 to 11 a.m. Mondays at Northeast WIC Clinic/H-E-B, 7112 Ed Bluestein Blvd., noon to 2 p.m. Mondays, St. John Community Center, 7500 Blessing Ave., 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesdays, Montopolis WIC Clinic, 1416 Montopolis Drive, 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesdays, Rosewood-Zaragosa Neighborhood Center, 2800 Webberville Road.
• Open: Toastie’s Sub Shop, a sandwich shop in the former Lift Cafe at 215 S. Lamar Blvd., specializing in toasted sub sandwiches. 499-8500.
• Open: Chez Rémy, a food truck at West Fifth and Colorado streets serving croissants, sandwiches and salads. 758-9363.
• Open: French Quarter Grille, a Cajun restaurant at 13000 N Interstate 35, Suite 600, in the former location of Mama Roux. Chef/co-owner Dave Gore worked for more than a decade with Mike and Yoli Amr, who founded Gumbo’s restaurant and owned Mama Roux when they died earlier this year. 832-9090.
• Closed: The Good Knight, the cocktail-centric restaurant at 1300 E. 6th St. The quiet, hauntingly tattered yet beautiful tavern was recently noted in Esquire magazine as one of the best bars in the country and was set to debut new menus in late June, but the restaurant announced the closure on Twitter and Facebook two weeks ago. When contacted, owner Randall Stockton said, “There’s not much to say. It was time.” He said he does not currently have plans to pursue any new ventures.
• Closed: The Screaming Goat, a taco bar at 900 W. 10th St.
• Closed: South Austin Bar and Grill, 1003 Barton Springs Road.
• Closed for now: Trace, the restaurant in the W Hotel downtown at 200 Lavaca St. The W Hotel is closed until crews replace about 1,000 windows on the building after several have fallen down in recent weeks. The restaurant will reopen when the rest of the hotel reopens.
Photo from Flix Brewhouse Facebook page.
Permalink | | Categories: Openings/Closings
